From: Alexander Oldernes <alexander AT oldernes.no>
To: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] yhwh pronunciation
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 18:44:40 +0200
This subject can be (and has been) explored and discussed for decades, and
still there is no end of the arguments and possibilities.
We can bury ourselves down in history, archaeology, ancient grammatical
rules, and a great many books written on this subject.
Since we don't have 100% proof for a specific pronunciation, it ends up in
which proof and pronunciation we find most logic for ourselves, according to
our personal 'logic', in connection with the facts presented. (Sometimes our
personal 'logic' may be too influenced by what we wish to be true, and that
may prevent ut from investigating all the facts the right way).
I know some of you are able to say a million arguments against this, but
this is what I personal find logic, based only on the biblical text (the way
we have it today, with the pronunciation we know today)...
- When I read all the theophoric names:
Jehoaddah, Jehoaddan, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jehohanan, Jehoiachin, Jehoiada,
Jehoiakim, Jehoiarib, Jehonadab, Jehonathan, Jehoram, Jehoshabeath,
Jehoshaphat, Jehosheba, Jehozabad, Jehozadak - and all the names that ends
with -jahu
...my personal logic tells me that the YHW in the tetragrammaton can be
pronounced Yeho- or Yahu-.
- When I see that the shortened form of YHWH, that is YH, is to be
pronounced YaH
...my personal logic tells me that the tetragrammaton may have a vowel "a".
When I see name Jehudah, YHWDH, I see that the difference from the
tetragrammaton is the Daleth.
If I remove the Daleth from YeHUDaH, and keep the vowel "a", I get YeHUaH /
YeHUWaH.
...my personal logic tells me that the pronunciation may not be very
different from Jehudah.
( One interesting detail is the 3rd person masculine HaWaH in Ecclesiastes
11:3, which is pronounced YeHU[a] )
I'm sure my 'logic' is not perfect, and neither my knowledge. But I like to
keep it simple, and simple is often the best.
These were just some thoughts, based on only the biblical text.